December 7, 2001

Senate Republicans Vote to Limit Additional Emergency Spending

The Senate Dec. 7 rejected an effort to add $15 billion in additional securioty and recovery funds to a $338 billion appropriation for defense and anti-terrorism efforts. The bill (H.R. 3338) includes $318 billion in FY 2002 appropriations for defense, and $20 billion in emergency supplemental spending, which represents the second half of the $40 billion agreed to shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) championed an additional $15 billion, which included $7.5 billion for domestic security and $7.5 billion for cleanup and recovery in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Included in Senator Byrd's proposal was an additional $4 billion to HHS for bioterrorism prevention and response and food safety. These funds were on top of $2 billion to HHS for bioterrorism included in the House-passed bill.

President Bush has repeatedly vowed to veto any legislation that pushes emergency spending above $40 billion. Senate Republicans were successful in employing a series of procedural manuevers to strip the additional $15 billion from the bill. House Republicans, who rejected efforts to increase emergency spending beyond $20 billion when they considered the bill shortly before the Thanksgiving recess, have said under no circumstances would they accept the additional $15 billion in conference. Some Republicans have conceded that additional funds beyond the original $40 billion may be needed, but they prefer to wait until the White House requests supplemental spending next year.

Information: Dave Moore, AAMC Office of Governmental Relations, 202-828-0525.